creative writing: adventures through time course syllabus

Creative Writing: Adventures Through Time Course Syllabus

Lesson Title Concepts, Content Objectives, and Skill Objectives

1 Character Composition

Concepts and Content Objectives

• Definitions and features of the Six Threads of Characterization: thoughts, physicality, actions, speech, other characters, and family and origins

• Definition of a character trait

• Definition of character motivation

Skill Objectives • Identify and develop the threads of characterization, motivations, and traits for at least

two original characters

• Identify specific details to convey the threads of characterization • Write a GUDE sentence (Good Grammar, Complete Understanding, Correct

Definition, and Excellent Examples)

• Analyze different choices for character details (the Six Threads), motivations, and traits and make a judgment about which choices work better

• Design a character using the Six Threads of Characterization and a character trait

Creative Writing: Adventures Through Time © 2014 Duke University Talent Identification Program of 10



2 Creating Character Concepts and Content Objectives • Definitions of virtue; flaw; key actions; protagonist; antagonist; stock or flat characters;

round, static, and dynamic characters; and heart-clutching moments

Skill Objectives • Identify the difference between a virtue and a flaw, a protagonist and an antagonist, a

stock or flat character and a round character, and a static character and a dynamic character

• Determine the level of the stakes given a character’s motivation

• Express the relationship between motivation, traits, key actions, and consequences

• Design a character using the Six Threads of Characterization, a character trait, motivation, and key action

• Transform a flat character into a round character

• Experiment with the Six Threads, motivations, traits, and key actions to create a character who responds to a plot problem.

• Draft a scene or story with round characters whose traits and motivations are clear and lead to key actions

• Write a GUDE sentence (Good Grammar, Complete Understanding, Correct Definition, and Excellent Examples)




3 Setting Concepts and Content Objectives • The Six Signposts of Setting:

o The city, state, country, or region (if applicable) and the location o The geography/topography o The time period in which the story is set, including the particular year o The season (or whether it spans several seasons) and the weather o The time of day (if a short story) o The time span (Is it in an instant? Does it span a few hours? Does it cover

several years?)

• The elements of the five senses as the basis for descriptive language and setting • The definitions of the terms zeitgeist, anachronism, and mood as they relate to setting

Skill Objectives • Create a scene for a story using the Six Signposts of Setting

• Analyze elements of plot, characterization, and setting as elements for cause-and-effect interdependencies

• Draw connections between setting and plot setting

• Identify the mood of a setting

• Establish mood through sensory detail and diction





4 Plot Concepts and Content Objectives • The definitions of the terms plot, catalyst, foreshadowing, and cause and effect

• The five types of conflict: o a character versus another character o a character versus nature o a character versus the supernatural o a character versus society o a character versus himself/herself

• The parts of a traditional plot diagram and definitions of each section: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement/resolution

Skill Objectives • Identify parts of a plot

• Trace cause and effect within literature

• Explain how foreshadowing works in literature

• Create a story line illustrating some of the five types of conflict with motivation-driven characters





5 Point of View Concepts and Content Objectives • The features of different types of point of view:

o First person o Second person o Third person objective o Third person omniscient o Third person close or limited

• Definitions of diction, syntax, and bias and how each connects to point of view

Skill Objectives • Identify point of view in literary passages

• Write scenes in a predetermined point of view

• Change a story from one point of view to another and describe the differences

• Identify bias in one’s own writing




6 Midterm Exam Concepts and Content Objectives • The expectations of the midterm exam

Skill Objectives • Analyze literary passages using terms of characterization, setting, plot, and point of

view

• Identify areas of writing strength

• Identify areas for improvement of writing

• Establish and meet writing goals for characterization, setting, plot, or point of view




7 Revision of Plot and Setting

Concepts and Content Objectives • The definition of revision, a complex, multi-step process

• The 10,000 hours theory of practice for excellence • The definition of satisfying stories and endings

• Plot formulas such as the Check Mark Plot Structure or The Hero’s Journey model

• The elements of the Story Rubric to guide revision

Skill Objectives • Map the plot of their story

• Identify whether the story’s plot is boring, unrealistic, or predictable

• Revise the plot based on changes to the setting and vice versa

• Revise the plot without altering character motivation

• Revise the plot while maintaining the story’s original ending

• Expand the setting in a single scene




8 Revision of Character and Point of View

Concepts and Content Objectives • The definition of revision as “re-seeing,” or looking at a piece of writing in a new way,

in order to make changes to it • The understanding of revision as a complex, multi-step process

• The elements of the Story Rubric to guide revision

Skill Objectives • Refine characters’ motivations and revise to make characters more complex

• Alter a story’s point of view, providing a different perspective on characters via new and/or rewritten scenes

• Develop clear revision goals and meet them




9 Dialogue and Elements of Style

Concepts and Content Objectives • The features of good dialogue, including conflict and character traits • Dialogue’s features of tags • Definitions of the elements of style:

o Diction (word choice) o Rhythm o Sentence structure o Sentence variety o Figurative language o Dialect o Tone

• The differences between direct versus descriptive writing style

Skill Objectives • Analyze one’s original piece of dialogue according to features of good dialogue • Create a style profile describing the style of an artist/musician/chef/designer • Analyze excerpts of writing to distinguish direct versus descriptive writing style • Match appropriate diction to a character in order to describe style • Revise elements of style such as figurative language or sentence structure • Conduct a meta-cognitive “style inventory” to understand one’s own literary style • Develop realistic, interesting, and motivation-driven dialogue that advances the plot • Identify character traits and motivations as expressed by a sample dialogue




10 Editing and Publishing

Concepts and Content Objectives • The definitions for concision and editing for wordiness, clarity, and diction

• Publications as potential venues for work

• The elements of an effective query letter

Skill Objectives • Edit sentences by eliminating wordiness, increasing clarity, and identifying

appropriate diction

• Identify publications that might want to publish work based on the readership and publication focus

• Write a query letter


creative writing: adventures through time course syllabus

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